OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Billionaire Warren Buffett is spending his day listening to business pitches from a select group of kids, but the ideas aren't likely to generate new acquisitions for Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal health regulators say an experimental insomnia drug from Merck can help patients fall asleep, but it also carries worrisome side effects, including daytime drowsiness and suicidal thinking.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Actavis is buying Warner Chilcott in an all-stock deal valued at about $8.5 billion that would create the third-biggest specialty pharmaceutical company in the U.S. market.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Consumer spending is likely to pick up this year, while government spending declines at a faster rate, according to a survey of business economists.... Read More
DUBLIN (AP) -- Ryanair reported record profits Monday as Europe's largest budget airline relentlessly expanded its route network across the continent and into North Africa.... Read More
Facebook made its debut on the stock market a year ago on May 18 in one of the largest IPOs in history and the biggest for any Internet company.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says pessimists forecasting that the economy will not reap sizable benefits from the computer revolution are likely to be proven wrong.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal regulators are ordering the Bank of Montreal to take steps to correct lapses in oversight that could allow the bank to be used for money laundering.... Read More
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT: Positive reports on leading economic indicators and consumer confidence gave the stock market a boost on Friday, helping stocks to their fourth consecutive week of gains.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- A research report by the Pew Charitable Trusts says younger baby boomers and Generation Xers face an uncertain retirement because of reduced savings, high levels of debt, and losses during the Great Recession.... Read More
DETROIT (AP) -- Shares of General Motors reached an important milestone on Friday, closing above their initial public offering price of $33 for the first time in more than two years.... Read More
Encouraging news about the U.S. economy pushed stock prices higher on Wall Street Friday. A gauge of future economic activity rose more than analysts had expected, as did a measure of consumer confidence, adding to evidence that the economy is steadily recovering. The Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 index ended higher for a fourth straight week.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Legislation cleared the House on Friday that would place stricter requirements on the federal agency overseeing Wall Street to assess the costs and benefits of its regulations before they are issued.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- The nation's largest retail industry organization fired back Friday, outlining reasons why a legally binding global pact to make Bangladesh clothing factories safer would expose merchants to undue legal exposure. The move came as U.S. retailers face increasing pressure from a large coalition of religious groups and investors to work together to develop a plan.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Transocean Ltd. shareholders have voted out the oil drilling company's chairman and backed one of Carl Icahn's director nominees.... Read More
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) -- Cyprus on Friday got rid of limits on money transfers and withdrawals for international clients of another eight foreign banks doing business in the debt-laden country.... Read More
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- The Mexican government says it has cut its economic growth forecast for 2013 from 3.5 percent to 3.1 after exports stagnated and first-quarter GDP figures came in weak.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew told Congress on Friday that the administration will begin taking steps next week to avoid a default on the nation's debt until Congress votes to raise the government's borrowing limit.... Read More
HOUSTON (AP) -- Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. remains unchanged this week, at 1,769.... Read More
ROME (AP) -- Italy's new cross-party government has adopted its first measures to help the economy. They include suspending a tax on primary residences and allocating funds to extend a short-term layoff scheme.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Solid hiring helped lower unemployment rates in 40 U.S. states last month, the most since November. The declines show the job market is improving throughout most of the country.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Bloomberg LP, the financial news and information service, on Friday said it has appointed Samuel Palmisano, the former CEO of IBM, as an independent adviser on its privacy and data standards.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- The former CEO of Tuesday Morning has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the discount retailer, saying she was fired just months after revealing she had breast cancer.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A measure of the U.S. economy's future health rose solidly in April, buoyed by a sharp rise in applications to build homes and a better job market.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Tableau Software shares soared in their trading debut Friday after the company and some of its investors raised about $254.2 million in its initial public offering.... Read More
MILAN (AP) -- The European auto industry may be showing the first signs of a slowdown in its sales free-fall, according to data from the European automaker's association.... Read More
PRAGUE (AP) -- Brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev says it no longer has plans to acquire Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar, with whom it has been fighting a long legal battle over the use of the "Budweiser" brand.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Total U.S. money market mutual fund assets fell $1.04 billion to $2.582 trillion for the week that ended Wednesday, according to the Investment Company Institute.... Read More
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- In a quest to speed up the boarding process, American Airlines is letting passengers board sooner if they travel lightly.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week but stayed near their historic lows. Cheaper mortgages have helped the economy by spurring more home-buying and refinancing.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Nordstrom Inc. said Thursday its first-quarter net income fell 3 percent, hurt by weak demand for spring merchandise and softer performance in the Northeast and Midwest.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A rule intended to loosen the largest U.S. banks' control over the trading of complex investments and help safeguard the financial system was weakened Thursday by regulators.... Read More
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- A federal judge has ordered Dow Chemical Co. to pay $1.21 billion in damages after it lost a class-action lawsuit that accused it of conspiring to fix prices.... Read More
DETROIT (AP) -- Only two of 13 small SUVs performed well in front-end crash tests done by an insurance industry group, with several popular models faring poorly in the evaluations.... Read More
HOME BUILDING: U.S. builders broke ground on fewer homes in April, one month after topping the 1 million mark for the first time since 2008. Construction fell 16.5 percent in April, but most of the decline was in apartment construction, which tends to vary sharply from month to month.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. airlines charged more in fares and fees and reduced debt as they improved their financial performance in the first quarter.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Aluminum smelter and parts-maker Alcoa said on Thursday that it will close down two production lines at a plant in Canada and cut about 500 jobs there because of lower aluminum prices.... Read More
BIG PRICE DROP: A plunge in the cost of gas drove down a measure of U.S. consumer prices last month by the most since December 2008. The consumer price index fell 0.4 percent in April from March.... Read More
APPLICATIONS JUMP: The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose 32,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 360,000, the most since late March. Weekly applications are a proxy for layoffs.... Read More
WIPED OUT: Blaming political opponents for the shortfall, as it does for other shortages, the embattled socialist government of Venezuela says it will import 50 million rolls of toilet paper to boost supplies.... Read More
MILAN (AP) -- Global sales of luxury goods are off to a slow start in 2013 and aren't expected to match the double-digit growth of the last three years, consultancy Bain & Co. said in a study released Thursday.... Read More
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. was downgraded by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services Thursday after the credit rating agency changed the way it evaluates insurance companies.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Hess has reached a deal with a major investor to end a bitter fight over the management and direction of the oil and gas company.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. builders broke ground on fewer homes in April, one month after topping the 1 million mark for the first time since 2008. But most of the decline was in apartment construction, which tends to vary sharply from month to month.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A plunge in the cost of gas drove down a measure of U.S. consumer prices last month by the most since December 2008. Excluding the drop in fuel costs, prices were largely unchanged.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose 32,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 360,000, the most since late March. The jump came a week after applications had reached a five-year low.... Read More
HOUSTON (AP) -- Hess and Elliott Capital Management say they have reached an agreement that gives board seats to three people nominated by the activist hedge fund.... Read More
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Lawyers for JPMorgan Chase & Co. are asking financial news and data company Bloomberg LP to turn over any records it has of reporters looking up the log-in and usage data of JPMorgan employees.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Macy's Inc. reported a 20 percent increase in first-quarter profit even though cool temperatures and economic worries dampened some of its shoppers' spending on spring clothes.... Read More
MOLINE, Ill. (AP) -- Deere & Co. said on Wednesday that bad weather and weak economies will hinder sales growth this year for lawnmowers and construction equipment.... Read More
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Warren Buffett's company revealed new investments in Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. and Starz on Wednesday, and it sold off some of its stake in snack food maker Mondelez International Inc.... Read More
DALLAS (AP) -- Southwest Airlines Co. is delaying delivery of new airplanes and filling the gap with used planes to reduce spending over the next five years.... Read More
BEACHWOOD, Ohio (AP) -- DDR Corp. is buying 30 of 44 U.S. shopping centers from a joint venture it has with private equity firm Blackstone Group LP in a deal worth $1.46 billion, saying it expects to make money by raising rents at the malls and redeveloping them.... Read More
GOOGLE THIS: Google's stock topped $900 as the tech giant unveiled a music streaming service and a new Google Maps. Google's stock is up 50 percent over the past year.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The federal government says it will temporarily suspend sales of U.S. Treasury securities to state and local governments at noon on Friday, the first step to avoid breaching the nation's borrowing limit.... Read More
MANUFACTURING OUTPUT: Manufacturers cut production in April by 0.4 percent, the third decline in four months. Auto companies cranked out fewer cars, factories made fewer consumer goods and most other industries reduced output.... Read More
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A jury on Wednesday convicted the founder of a Kansas City company and four associates of cheating investors by selling them millions of dollars of worthless stock and spending the money on themselves.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sharp drops in fuel and food costs reduced a measure of U.S. wholesale prices in April by the most in three years. Outside those volatile categories, inflation stayed tame.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government says that fewer flights arrived on time and more were canceled in March than a year ago, but fewer passengers lodged formal complaints against the airlines.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- Baby boomers preparing for retirement are driving a surge in small business sales, as they find more and more buyers confident enough in the improving economy to expand their own businesses through acquisitions.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. manufacturers cut back on production in April, as auto companies cranked out fewer cars, factories made fewer consumer goods and most other industries reduced output. The weakness suggests economic growth may be slowing.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Foreign demand for U.S. Treasury securities rose to a record level in March, signaling further confidence in U.S. debt.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate lawmakers are pushing ahead with a bill that would bring new federal oversight to large specialty pharmacies like the one that triggered a deadly meningitis outbreak last year.... Read More
MIAMI (AP) -- Smartphones are increasingly popular not only with consumers, but also with thieves who see the devices as another way to tap into bank accounts and other sensitive information, experts say.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new injectable drug that uses radiation to treat advanced prostate cancer that has spread to the bones.... Read More
Confidence among U.S. homebuilders rebounded this month, reflecting improved sales trends during the spring home-selling season and the strongest outlook for sales over the next six months in more than six years.... Read More
STRONGER FOUNDATION: The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index rebounded this month, reflecting improved sales trends during the spring home-selling season.... Read More
BRUSSELS (AP) -- A senior EU official says China may be illegally dumping and subsidizing the import into Europe of mobile telephone networks and their essential elements. But Competition Commissioner Karel De Gucht says an official investigation, while approved by the European Commission, won't be launched now as officials seek an amicable resolution.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- While several more global clothing chains on Tuesday were announcing that they agreed to a historic pact to improve factory conditions in Bangladesh, U.S. retailers were scrambling to come up with their own safety plans.... Read More
NEW YORK (AP) -- The surge in oil production in the U.S. and Canada and shrinking oil consumption in the developed world is transforming the global oil market.... Read More
Boeing restarted deliveries of 787s on Tuesday after a four-month halt while it dealt with the smoldering batteries that had kept the planes grounded.... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a genetic test from Roche to help doctors identify patients who can benefit from a lung cancer drug made by the company's Genentech unit.... Read More
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) -- Thousands of mourners gathered Tuesday at the wreckage of a Bangladeshi garment factory building to offer prayers for the souls of the 1,127 people who died in the structure's collapse last month, the worst tragedy in the history of the global garment industry.... Read More
DALLAS (AP) -- Two major unions are seeking to avoid a fight and instead share representation of ground workers at American Airlines after the company merges with US Airways.... Read More
BOSTON (AP) -- Mutual funds continued to attract cash in April, although the pace slowed from the record amount that flowed in during the first three months of the year. Investors also became more cautious, as bond funds attracted slightly more money than stock funds.... Read More
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey says its state-run petroleum company has reached a deal with U.S. company Exxon Mobil to explore for oil in northern Iraq. ... Read More
OSLO, Norway (AP) -- Statoil says it has given Noble Corp. the contract to drill the Mariner oil field in a deal estimated at $655 million over four years.... Read More
